Bribery, vendetta claims as Aussie Drazen held in Manila prison

Crime Reporter

Accused of illegally working as a mining executive ... Drazen 'Danny' Jovica.

An Australian businessman has been held in a Philippines detention centre for almost two months amid bribery allegations and a deportation order.

Philippines authorities detained Melbourne's Drazen "Danny" Jovica after accusations he had been illegally working as a mining executive since 2008.

If I just go home, I would lose everything I have striven to build here over the years

Mr Jovica, the president of Austra Asia Ore, claims he is a victim of a vendetta by a disgruntled former business partner.

Drazen 'Danny' Jovica ... says a grave error in judgment has been made.

He is challenging the deportation order through the local courts, saying he has a permanent visa, while being held in Bicutan Immigration Detention centre near Manila airport.

Mr Jovica filed a complaint at the Australian embassy in Manila about local officials seeking bribes.

He claims he was arrested by Philippine immigration representatives after he left the embassy.

Mr Jovica, through a website friends have set up to protest his innocence, alleges a former business partner has a vendetta against him.

Mr Jovica and his online supporters say the former partner and local officials demanded Mr Jovica pay money or face deportation in a dispute that goes back to 2010.

"The bureau of immigration has made a grave error in judgment," Mr Jovica said on the website.

"I have established a corporation in the Philippines in accordance to law and the value of its assets is of considerable worth and value," he said. "If I just go home, I would lose everything I have striven to build here over the years."

The site has also questioned the role the Australian government has played in helping Mr Jovica.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said they have provided ongoing consular assistance since Mr Jovica's arrest on November 8.

"This has included several visits to the detention centre to check on his welfare, responding to numerous phone and written requests, discussions with his lawyers and seeking clarification about the status of his case from Filipino authorities," she said.

"The embassy has also assisted Mr Jovica, where possible, with regard to bribery allegations he wished to make, including arranging a meeting for him with an AFP representative in Manila and providing him with details of the relevant Philippines agency to receive reports of bribery allegations," she said.

Australian officials have written to the Philippine's Bureau of Immigration seeking clarification regarding the deportation order, she said.

"We have advised Mr Jovica that any allegations regarding bribery of Filipino authorities must be taken up with appropriate law enforcement authorities. To the extent that allegations relate to the actions of an Australian third party, DFAT has sent AFP all the information provided by Mr Jovica," she said.

Last month marked a year in captivity for former Australian soldier Warren Rodwell, who was kidnapped by militants in the Philippine's southern province of Mindanao.

According to corruption watchdog Transparency International, the Philippines was ranked 105th out of 176 countries for graft in 2012 while a World Bank study in 2008 considered the country to be the worst for corruption in East Asia.